SomaNews May-June 2020

Choice

---

“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely."
— Roy T. Bennett

---

It's Your Choice...

As the sun rises and the light begins to turn the dark to morning, I wake up and take a deep breath. How will I start my day? Here, now, I have choice. Moment by moment I can choose, but for half my life, I never knew I had choice.

So many of us have let our history, other people, circumstances, or culture make our choices. We didn’t grow up learning to trust our “gut” intuition – our knowing more than what is on the surface. And even if we did, our culture made education of the mind the top priority.

Choice is the act of making a selection or decision. Choice is rarely a straight line; it is a walk through the dark and light of life. Choice rains down on us every day. And if we allow others to make our choices, we live for them, including those who can’t seem to live for themselves.

Right now, you have choice this very moment. You could decide that what you are reading is not worth your time and click away, or you could keep reading, or you could read part and come back later. All of those are choices. Your brain will give you a logical reason to read or not read, to listen or not listen. But what does your body say?

Our history shapes us. The person you are in this moment is created from choices. Of course, when we were young, we didn’t have much choice. But once we can think for ourselves, we are responsible for how we choose to live.

Living in your body is absolutely a necessary practice to make appropriate choices at the appropriate time. You are your choices. As a somatic coach, my expertise is supporting people to live in their bodies as a whole – mind, body and spirit.

Here is a practice:

Sit down with yourself; paper and pen nearby. Consider a choice you are facing right now. Take a deep breath, center yourself, feel your feet on the floor, feel your sit bones in the chair, notice the sensations that are moving through your body. And let your body inform your choice.

Notice what happens in your body, sensations or lack of. Then write what your body is saying about your choice.

Once you are complete, thank yourself, your body.

Remember, we are our choices, so make your choice for this moment, and go on the journey.

---

Free workshop series for couples

Where do you want to go in your relationship? Mark and I are hosting a workshop series on Zoom to support couples during this challenging time. Feel free to watch the first in our series on YouTube.

Our next gathering is May 17. Please join us! See details and register here.